eNews - February 2, 2016

All LEAs and their staff whom are supported by the Desert/Mountain SELPA and the Desert/Mountain Charter SELPA have access to a great special education online resource to answer everything you ever wanted to know about special education and more! Special Ed Connection is a comprehensive resource to use when problems or questions come up or when you are looking for a form or sample policy. This resource also provides advice and guidance on compliance issues, program implementation, as well as commentaries from special education and Section 504 experts. It provides coverage of legal summaries, full text cases, and commentaries. All of this information is fully searchable with an advance search option to narrow the search by using keywords.

Some of the topic highlights:

Topical Homepage – divided into 7 topical homepages that can be accessed through tabs at the top of the pages. You can find guidance about almost any special education topic on this site. The topical homepages are: Home, Section 504, Early Childhood, Behavior/Discipline, Inclusion, Specific Disabilities, Legal Research Center – which provides the latest case summaries, analysis, and legal watches.

Toolbar – for each topical homepage, directly beneath the tabs is a toolbar which gives you specific information related to the topic area you are in.

Sample Forms and Tools – provides sample forms, policies, and checklists. You can print them, use them as templates, or develop your own documents.

Smart Starts – gives a brief overview of the topic, followed by key points that summarize specific issues linking to pertinent case decisions, statutes, and regulations.

Stats and Regs – allows access to actual language from IDEA, Section 504, and Americans with Disabilities statutes and regulations.

News/Updates/Stories – learn about critical special ed issues in Congress, Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS)/Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP), Office of Civil Rights (OCR), and other federal agencies.

Special Ed Dictionary – shares more than 1,400 entries, words, and phrases that cross-reference definitions to other related terms.

Roundups - allows review of specific issues in special education law with links to laws and regulations, news stories, detailed regulatory analysis, and implementation guidelines.

Funding Finder – gives the most current grant information from the Department of Education, private foundations, and corporations.

E-Connections – free daily e-mail newsletter to assist with staying on top of the latest changes and breaking news in special education.

You can get started immediately by logging into the website and sampling the features, or by scheduling a short 15-20 minute overview (call 1-800-515-4577, ext. 6303). The username and password are specific to each LEA, so please contact your Director of Special Education for this required information.

Another great feature of this resource is that there is a five minutes rule in using Special Ed Connection. If you cannot find what you are looking for in five minutes, contact the Special Ed Connection User/Research Assistance hotline toll free at : 1-800-515-4577 x 6303 M-F 8:00 a.m-6:00 p.m. EST for assistance.The CAHELP subscription includes unlimited phone training and user/research assistance.